Coffee and Your Eyes - Bella Eye Care Optometry

If you want to do one simple thing to improve your performance, drink coffee. Coffee is packed with compounds that have biological effects on humans, and researchers keep discovering new reasons to drink the world’s favorite morning brew. There is one ingredient in particular that we want to share with you. Chlorogenic acid is a powerful polyphenol (a type of brain-boosting antioxidant) that does a few surprising things for you, like making your eyes stronger. Chlorogenic acid is the main acid in coffee — it makes up about three to five percent of your morning cup. Chlorogenic protects your mitochondria (the power plants of your cells) from stress, which helps them produce more cellular energy. Chlorogenic acid is also unusually bioavailable — it’s easy for your body to absorb and use. Chlorogenic acid is a strong anti-inflammatory and protects you from oxidative stress damage. Chlorogenic acid increases insulin sensitivity, which makes your body better at processing carbs without a crash. Chlorogenic acid decreases sensitivity to common plant allergens in people who get seasonal allergies. More recently, researchers have found another cool benefit to chlorogenic acid: it’s good for your eyes.

A recent study found that chlorogenic acid protects retinal cells from stress, decreasing the amount of cell death and keeping the retinal layers more intact. The authors concluded that chlorogenic acid in coffee may prevent retinal degeneration. If you work at a screen or under fluorescent lighting, getting chlorogenic acid every few hours could protect your retina from damage and save your eyesight. Coffee is packed with all kinds of precious bioactive compounds. It’s one of the best ways to make your body and brain stronger. If coffee isn’t a part of your daily routine, it may be time to add it

So drink a cup or two for your eyesight as well as the rest of you.